The Cat
by HappyAuriga
Summary: A collection of short stories about a little cat at Hogwarts.
1. The Cat

****Author's note: There are a few stories about this cat. I will not post them seperately but - since they are rather short - unite them here to form a multi-chaptered story.

**The Cat**

"Aren´t we a bit early for lunch?" Harry asked.

"Maybe," said Ron, "but what else are we to do? It´s pouring outside and it´s cold. We´ve done all our homework and we´ve played every game we could think of. Eating is about the most entertaining thing left to do."

"I´m sure the elves have not even cleaned away breakfast."

"We can watch them cleaning."

"Watch the slave labor? Why am I not surprised?" hissed Hermione.

Harry was sure they would start one of their friendly rows when he heard an unfamiliar sound.

"Miaow!"

They stopped. "Did you hear that?" asked Hermione. "There must be a cat in the entrance hall."

"What would a cat be doing in the entrance hall?" asked Ron irritatedly.

"How am I to know? Maybe it´s lost? Help me look for it."

-x-

They found the cat in a niche beside the statue of Godric Gryffindor. It was very small, only a kitten. It´s fur was light gray and it´s eyes were as green as Harry´s.

"Oh, look! Isn´t it cute?" Hermione cried and bent down to pick up the cat. It spat and shrank back.

"What are you doing with this cat?" asked a cold voice behind Hermione. "Is it yours at all, Miss Granger?"

"No, professor Snape. We just found it. It´s so small and all alone!"

"If it´s not yours, you have no business with this animal. Proceed to the Great Hall immediately!"

Reluctantly the trio obeyed and entered the hall with the flow of students gathering for lunch.

-x-

"Let´s see if the cat´s still there!" proposed Hermione after the meal.

"And be told off by Snape again?" said Ron. "No, thank you!"

"We have nothing else to do," Harry pointed out. "We may as well look out for the little cat."

Ron agreed and they went back to the niche were the cat had been. It was still there, only it was not alone. Professor Flitwick was trying to bait the cat with a saucer of milk.

"Come here, kitty, kitty, kitty," he called in his squeaky voice. "Be a nice cat. Come, uncle Filius will give you milk! Do you want the milk? Of course! All little kitties want milk."

Snape glanced down upon him in disgust. "Stop it, Filius," he advised. "This awkward behaviour is not suitable for a teacher."

Having been told off by Snape before, the trio went on to the library.

-x-

Two hours later they were back to the entrance hall. The cat was still in its niche. Some girls from Ravenclaw tried to get hold of the little beast, but obviously the cat was not in a mood to allow itself being caught. One of the girls cried out in pain as the cat made use of its claws.

"Leave that cat alone and go up to the hospital wing, Miss Clearwater," Snape snarled.

"But professor! The cat can´t stay here all alone!"

"Why not? Obviously it can repulse minor attacks on its own and the Slytherin monster is not likely to make an appearance in the entrance hall, is it? Quick now, up to the hospital wing."

-x-

With Snape and the Ravenclaws gone, Hermione had another go at the cat. She took a leaf out of professor Flitwick´s book and tried to tempt the little animal with a bit of cookie.

"Are you sure cats eat cookies?" asked Harry.

"Normally not, but this cat has been hiding in this niche for at least five hours. Probably it´s starving, the poor thing." Hermione bent forward to let the cat sniff the cookie without coming into reach of its claws.

The three friends started at the sound of Snape´s voice behind them. "Are you going to poison this poor creature now? Even I know that cats don´t eat biscuits. I told you before to stay away from the cat if it isn´t yours. Has it passed to your possession within these past hours?"

"No, Sir," admitted Hermione. The three friends went up to Gryffindor tower without further invitation.

-x-

When they came downstairs for supper later, they witnessed the head of Gryffindor house in her animagus form trying to persuade the little cat to leave its hiding place. McGonagall miaowed and purred.

Snape was hoovering over her, nearly beside himself. "Really Minerva! You´re making a fool of yourself. The students are watching. I really wish you´d stop it!"

-x-

After supper Hermione insisted on staying with the little cat. "It´s growing dark and it will be afraid. We have to protect it!"

"Really Hermione, I don´t think this cat needs protection!" Ron pointed out.

"I never thought I´d live to see the day I agree with Mr. Weasley. Go up to Gryffindor tower!" Snape commanded.

Reluctantly the trio left the emptying entrance hall.

"You go to the common room, I meet you there later," said Harry and tiptoed back down the staircase. Ron and Hermione looked puzzled, but did as they were asked to.

-x-

Snape looked round carefully to make sure the hall was empty. He squated down beside the niche and stretched his hand out it.

"Mystery!" he called out in a soft voice. "Come here, you naughty boy!"

Immediately the little gray cat left its hiding place. It sniffed Snape´s hand and then pressed its head to the hand. Its purring seemed loud in the empty hall.

Snape picked up the cat very carefully. The animal nestled in his palm.

"You gave daddy quite a shock. You´ve been a bad cat. How did you escape from the office anyway?"

Snape tickled the cat´s ears. It miaowed softly.

"You know of course that you can´t come to the office in the future. I´ll have to restrict you to my quarters. Were you bored at the office, poor boy?"

Snape stroked the cat´s fur with his index finger and set out for his quarters.

"What do you think? Shall we open one of those muggle tins you like so much?"

They disappeared in the corridor leading to the dungeons.

-x-

"Did you find out anything?" asked Hermione when Harry returned to the common room.

"The cat was picked up by its owner."

"Whose was it then?"

"A Slytherin boy´s."

End of the story


	2. Cat In A Tree

Cat in a Tree

Harry was on his way back to the castle from the Quidditch pitch, when he caught a glimpse of grey fur. Not sure whether it had been only a trick of the light he stood and took a closer look. The edge of the forest was different shades of green mixed with the dark grey of the approaching night. He shook his head and continued to the castle.

After turning around a corner he spotted the potions master, who hurried over the lawn, robes billowing as ever, standing from time to time and looking around as if searching for something. So maybe it hadn´t been a trick of the light after all.

Harry hesitated. He´d rather avoid Snape if it was possible, but it was growing dark and if he had indeed seen what he thought he had seen... Slowly he approached the teacher.

"Excuse me, Sir."

Snape started. "What is it, Potter?" he spat. Was he indeed standing on tiptoe to look over Harry´s shoulder?

"Sir, uhm," Harry shifted from one foot on the other.

"What? I´m busy. If you´ve something to say, spit it out."

Harry only now realised that he had to admit overhearing Snape the other night to deliver his message.

Snape lost his patience and turned to go on with his search.

"Sir," Harry cried after him, "I´ve been wondering whether you are trying to solve a mystery."

Snape stood rooted to the spot. Slowly he turned around and strode back to Harry.

"What did you just say, Potter?" he asked in a cold voice, towering over his student.

Harry gulped. "I said, are you trying to solve a mystery. Sir."

"What gives you the idea?"

"You seemed to search for something."

"You´re not trying to blackmail me?" hissed Snape, "for this would be a stupid thing to do. I have no idea how you found out. Where is he?"

"Blackmail? No, Sir!" Harry was taken aback. "I just thought I saw a grey animal over there and then I saw you searching the lawn. I thought..."

Snape grabbed Harry´s robes. "A grey animal? Where?"

"Over there, near the forest."

Snape pushed Harry to the direction he had indicated. "Show me," he demanded.

"Let me carry my broomstick inside first."

"Broomstick?" Snape was upset, "I don´t care for your broomstick. We´re talking about a living creature. Show me where you saw him. And hurry, it´s getting dark."

Harry sighed. Obviously it wasn´t a good idea to upset Snape further, so he shouldered his broom and led the way to the edge of the forest where he thought to have glimpsed Snape´s cat earlier.

"I´m not sure," he pointed out, "but I thought I saw a grey cat over here."

Snape glared at Harry for a brief moment, then drew his wand and muttered a spell under his breath. The tip of the wand glowed green. "You´re right, he was here." Snape made ready to enter the forest. Before he did, he turned to Harry and murmured a quick "Thanks, Potter."

Was this desperation on the man´s face? Harry knew that he´d regret it later, but before Snape disappeared between the first trees he asked: "Do you need help, Sir?"

Snape turned hesitantly. The thought of taking Harry with him to search for Mystery clearly didn´t enthuse him. On the other hand it was growing dark. Convenience won over pride at last. "I´d be glad if you assisted me, Potter."

They entered the wood at a distance of about twenty feet from each other, wands lit.

"Is there a way I can call him, Sir? Last time I got the impression he´s rather attached with you, so how do I make him come to me?"

"The trick is not to call him by any foolish name. Just call him Mystery." Snape went at considerable speed.

As soon as they were into the forest far enough not to be heard by students on the lawn, Snape started a pattern of walking some steps and calling the cat by his name. Harry followed his lead and did so as well.

Soon they were surrounded by darkness. The light of their wands was like an oasis in the desert. From time to time they heard a rustling in the leaves on the ground. Harry hoped it wasn´t caused by some big and hungry creature. Snape however seemed to have new hopes with every sound only to have them scattered moments later when no ´Miaow!´ answered his call.

"Sir, it´s too dark in here," said Harry after what seemed like hours. "We have to continue this tomorrow."

"Nonsense, Potter," snarled Snape. "I can´t leave him in the forest alone. He´s too small."

"He´s a beast of prey, professor. A small one, but nevertheless. He´ll be OK."

"Are you sure?" Snape didn´t sound confident. In fact he didn´t sound like Snape at all. Harry would have been astounded hadn´t he been aware that Snape never acted like Snape when Mystery was concerned.

"Yes," he answered in what he hoped was a comforting voice. "Let´s go back to the castle. I´ll help you in the morning if you´d like me to."

"I´d be glad."

They turned and headed to where they thought the castle was. After they had walked for a while in silence side by side, Snape pointed out that they had lost their way.

"I´m confident I can find the way back by day," he said, "but at the moment..."

"So we do what?" Harry asked. The prospect of spending the night in the dark forest in Snape´s company wasn´t very intriguing.

"We look for a dry spot and settle down for the night," said the teacher. He steered for a big oak tree and pointed his wand at some stones near its trunk. They turned into cushions. Some flicks of Snape´s wand later there were also some blankets, a small camp fire and a kettle.

The professor sat down on one of the cushions and dragged a (black) blanket around his shoulders. Harry settled down on one of the other cushions after a gesture of invitation by Snape.

"Are you hungry?" asked Snape.

"I was on my way to supper after a quidditch session. I was planning triple helpings," grinned Harry. His rumbling stomach confirmed his words.

Snape waved his wand again and handed Harry a tray with bread and cheese. "I´m sorry. It´s not much. I´m not good at camping spells."

"I wasn´t aware there are camping spells." Harry bit into a piece of bread hungrily.

Snape sighed dramatically. "Potter, it´s amazing how little you understand magic, seeing how brilliantly you use it sometimes."

Harry stopped chewing. Had this been a compliment?

"There´s magic for every purpose in life," Snape went on, ignoring Harry´s surprise. "There are camping spells. Household spells. House building spells. Lion catching spells. Gift wrapping spells..."

"Are there no spells to keep your pet in your quarters?"

"There are. But Mystery seems to know some care escaping spells."

There was a short silence.

"How come you know about Mystery?"

"When he hid behind the statue in the Entrance Hall and you sent us to our dormitories I sneaked back down to see whether the cat was safe. I saw you take him back to your quarters. – Sorry. I didn´t mean to spy on you."

"Who else knows?"

"Nobody."

"Nobody?" Snape chuckled. It was a bitter sound. "You mean to tell me that you missed the opportunity to tell every student in Gryffindor house that I have a soft spot when it comes to my cat?" Clearly Snape didn´t believe a word.

"It seemed wrong to tell anybody," Harry said pensively. "I thought about it for a moment, I´ll admit that. But then I thought about Hedwig. Hedwig is my owl. I´d miss her badly if she was gone and I´d not want anybody to make fun about that."

"Thank you, Potter."

After his simple meal Harry lay on a heap of cushions and – being exhausted after the quidditch training – fell asleep. He was woken by the sound of hooves. He lifted his head a little and saw Snape in conversation with a group of centaurs.

"You lost a creature you´re keeping for your amusement!" cried one of the centaurs. "How dare you hope we´d aid your attempt to recapture it, and be it only by permitting you into our forest! You´ll leave immediately! And be assured it is only out of respect for Albus Dumbledore that we let you leave unhurt!"

Snape retreated a step. "Please allow us to stay until dawn. I have a student with me and he´s tired."

"One of your foals?" The centaurs gazed curiously towards the fire.

Harry lifted up on his elbow, then got up and stepped beside Snape. He inclined his head to the centaurs. "Good evening!" he greeted politely. "I hope the stars bode well for your herd."

"He´s well educated, your foal," said the tallest centaur to Snape. "Good evening to you, too, foal of Dumbledore´s herd," he turned to Harry. "You should not be here in the forest at this time of the night."

"We came to find a cat," Harry explained. "Out of concern, not to imprison it. It´s very small and we feared it may be in danger in the forest."

"Out of concern?" said the centaur. "Why didn´t you tell?"

Snape looked taken aback.

"Because," Harry said, "he´s a fighter for our herd. Concern for a cat doesn´t suit him well." He smirked. "At least he thinks so."

The centaurs smiled. "Concern for a fellow creature suits everyone. You may stay until the sun rises. When the new day dawns, you´ll return to the castle." The centaur leader pointed towards what seemingly was the direction home. Harry tried to memorize where he had pointed. The centaurs bowed and disappeared in the darkness.

"How come you know how to deal with centaurs?" asked Snape as they stepped back to the fire.

"I´ve met them when I was here with Hagrid. How come you stand up to centaurs to keep them from waking me?" Harry regretted the question immediately. Was Snape really blushing? He hadn´t meant to embarrass his teacher.

"Go back to sleep, Potter. It´s still some hours to dawn."

Snape woke Harry as soon as the forest was light enough to see some meters. They decided to have breakfast at the castle and set out where the centaur had pointed after Snape had transfigured their camp back to leaves and stones.

"I´m sorry we didn´t find him," said Harry when they approached the edge of the forest.

"I´ll continue the search," said Snape and before Harry could say anything, "you have to prepare for your lessons."

"I can help you in the afternoon," Harry offered. "That is, if you don´t find him before."

"Miaow!"

Snape stood rooted to the spot. The lament of the cat had reached them just when they were leaving the forest. Harry and Snape both looked around, but Mystery was nowhere to be seen.

"Mystery?" Snape called softly.

"Miaow!"

Finally Harry looked up. "There he is, professor!" he pointed up a birch tree where the grey cat was sitting on a branch. Mystery looked rather unhappy. Harry laughed.

"What is so funny, Potter?" Snape asked harshly.

"Sorry, but this is a muggle cliché situation. Lost cats are always found in trees, unable to get down on their own."

Snape looked up to Mystery pensively. "And how do muggles get the cats down usually?"

"They call the firemen. Sometimes, in funny films, they fell the tree."

"What will we do?"

Harry grinned and offered Snape his broomstick.

"I´m not a good flyer," Snape admitted.

"You did quite well in my first year," Harry pointed out. "I´d go up there for you, but I´m not sure he´d let me touch him."

Reluctantly Snape mounted the broom. He kicked off the ground and carefully hoovered up to the cat.

"Come here, Mystery," he whispered gently and stretched his arm as far as he could.

It worked. The cat followed its owners call and let himself be picked up.

Snape landed beside Harry and handed him the broomstick. "Thank you, Potter."

"You´re welcome, Sir."

"You´d better hurry now. It will be ten points from Gryffindor if you´re late for Potions."

"Yes, Sir." Harry shouldered the broom and hurried up to the castle. He grinned. He was sure Snape had sent him away to be able to celebrate his reunion with his pet in private. He was also sure that no points would be taken from Gryffindor this morning. But as this was about Snape, he was not going to try it out.

END OF THE STORY.


	3. Mystery at Gryffindor Tower

**Mystery at Gryffindor Tower**

„Come on, mate. It´s a brilliant day!" Ron Weasley was sitting on tenterhooks.

His best friend, Hermione Granger, rolled her eyes. "Really, Ronald. It won´t do any good, if Harry suffocates on his breakfast. The Quidditch pitch will be there all day."

Harry Potter, Ron´s other best friend, wolved down his breakfast as quickly as possible.

"You don´t understand, Hermione. It´s the first weekend with excellent weather for flying. We´ve been waiting for this for months!"

Harry nodded in agreement and shoveled more scrambled egg into his mouth.

"In this case it would have been wise to get up earlier," nagged the girl.

The boys shot her irritated glances and Harry drained his goblet of pumpkin juice with big gulps. He was just wiping his mouth with his napkin when a huge barn owl set down a box with holes in it in front of him.

Ron, who had already been halfway up, sat back down. "What´s that?" he asked curiously.

Harry took a closer look at the box. On its lid was written in capital letters ´READ LETTER FIRST´.

"What letter?" Hermione eyed the box closely.

At exactly this moment a minute owl landed on Harry´s shoulder and stretched its leg to enable him to get a small roll of parchment.

Harry untied the roll and broke its seal of emerald green wax. ´POTTER,´the letter said in capital letters, ´I NEED TO GO ON BUSINESS FOR A WEEK OR TWO. AS YOU´RE THE ONLY PERSON WHO KNOWS ABOUT HIM, I WISH TO ASK YOU TO LOOK AFTER HIM UNTIL I´M BACK. HIS FOOD WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOUR DORMITORY BY AN ELF. YOUR COOPERATION IS APPRECIATED. PS: FED HIM SLEEPING DRAUGHT. ENERVATE.´

"What´s that about?" asked Hermione and Ron´s bewildered expression told that he had exactly the same question in mind.

"We need to go up to our dorm," said Harry.

"But, Harry! Quidditch!" cried Ron.

"Hermione´s right. The pitch will be there all day." Without another word Harry grabbed the box and set out for Gryffindor tower, his friends in tow.

At the dormitory he put the box gently down on his bed and opened it to reveal a sleeping gray kitten on a black blanket.

"Oh Harry!" cried Hermione. "Is this THE cat? I thought you said it belonged to a Slytherin."

"It does," confirmed Harry and stroked the cat´s fur gently with his index finger.

"But Harry! Which Slytherin would leave his pet in your care?" The girl stared at Harry with wide eyes.

"I promised not to tell, so please, don´t ask."

Ron and Hermione both nodded reluctantly.

With a smile Harry produced his wand and pointed it at the sleeping animal. "Enervate," he mumbled.

The little cat blinked and stretched and hopped out of its box.

"Isn´t he gorgeous!" whispered Hermione while they watched the kitten explore Harry´s bed. "Come here, kitty, kitty," she called the cat and stretched her arm to touch it.

Obviously the little beast had other plans for it flew up the hangings leaving tiny slits in the curtains.

"You scared him!" cried Ron, earning him a stern look from Hermione.

"Leave it, you two," said Harry and stepped closer to the bed. "Mystery, come her immediately." Obediently the cat started his way down the curtains and jumped on Harry´s shoulder. It rubbed its head against Harry´s cheek and started to purr loudly. Harry reached up to pick the cat from his shoulder and settle it against his chest. The purring of the small animal seemed to vibrate through his entire body and the gray fur was softer than anything Harry had ever touched. He smiled. He knew that the gray kitten was Snape´s soft spot, but only now, upon touching it for the first time, he understood just how soft this spot was.

"How did you do that?" Hermione broke the silence.

"He only reacts to his name," Harry explained. Before he could go into more detail there was a crack and Doby appeared with a large wooden box.

"Harry Potter, Sir," the elf said and bowed. "What a pleasure it is! Dobby is to deliver food for Sir´s new pet. The message is . . . " the elf coughed and cleared his throat and when he spoke again his voice was a touch deeper and stern. Harry knew that the elf was citing Snape´s words. "Half a tin in the morning, half a tin in the evening. He didn´t have breakfast today. Don´t you dare spoil him with sweets. As a treat he gets a saucer of milk now and then."

"No breakfast!" cried Hermione. "Poor thing!" She hurried to open the box and produced a simple bowl made of dark gray stone. As she put it on the floor the cat struggled in Harry´s arm to get to it. Harry put the animal down and joined Hermione in rummaging in the box.

"Your secret cat lover has a funny taste," said Hermione. "This is muggle cat food. It must be rather difficult to get it here."

"It´s what Mystery likes," explained Harry and chose one of the tins. There was a happily smiling cat on it.

"They´re feeding cats to cats?" Ron was chalk white. "That´s barbaric!"

"What gives you the idea?" asked Hermione. She explained why there was a cat on the tin when none were in it while Harry opened it and fed Mystery. Dobby cleaned the spoon and showed Harry how to keep the rest of the food fresh for the evening.

"He, whom Dobby is not to mention in presence of master´s friends, thought the spell had not been part of Harry Potter´s curriculum so far. And he ordered Dobby to ask Sir where to put up the cat´s toilet."

"Cat´s toilet!"

"Of course he needs a toilet!" laughed Hermione. "Crookshanks´ is near the dorm door." She showed the small space which neither of the inhabitants used.

"Dobby, would you please?" Harry asked. Hermione looked disgusted, but the elf beamed at Harry. "It will be Dobby´s pleasure, Sir!" He disapparated with a crack to get what was needed for the cat´s toilet.

Meanwhile Mystery had finished his meal. Harry cleaned the bowl with a spell. As the cat settled down to have a nap on Harry´s pillow, he addressed Ron: "I guess we can go to the pitch now." He ushered his friends out of the dormitory and cast a spell to restrict the cat to the room. On the way down to the Quidditch pitch he was a bit worried whether his spell was strong enough. Surely Snape knew stronger spells than he, nevertheless Mystery had escaped at least twice.

Once on his broomstick he forgot his worries however and enjoyed the wind rushing by his ears.

-x-

"Whose is it?" Seamus was not angry but furious. He cornered the trio as soon as they entered the tower.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ron.

"The beast which destroys peoples´ possessions!"

Harry felt his stomach drop some inches. What had Mystery done? He and Ron rushed upstairs.

The dormitory was a mess. Feathers were flying around. Harry could not be sure whether the source was Neville´s pillow or Ron´s. Dean´s hangings were no more than rags. On his bed lay pieces of parchment. Harry hoped it hadn´t been an important piece of homework.

Mystery sat on the roof of Harry´s fourposter and hissed down at Dean and Neville.

"The monster ruined my blanket and damaged a library book," cried Seamus. "Madam Pince will be after my hide!"

"Talk about Madam Pince! He ate my potions essay! Snape will kill me," Dean managed to sound furious and desperate at the same time.

Harry bit down a comment that Snape would probably be willing to forgive about the essay as its destruction was Mystery´s doing.

"Sorry, boys. Obviously is was a mistake to leave him alone in the dorm. I thougth it was OK, as it´s what the others do with their cats all the time." Harry grinned awkwardly. "Step back, you two." He shuffled past Dean and Neville and held out an arm. "Mystery!" Obediently the cat jumped into Harry´s hand, leaving tiny scratch-marks where it used its claws to get a grip.

With Hermione and Ron´s help he repaired as much of the damage Mystery had inflicted as possible. At last only Dean´s essay, Seamus´ book and one of Harry´s sweaters remained ruined.

"Never again leave the monster alone near my things!" hissed Seamus.

Harry promised and thus took Mystery with him to the Great Hall for lunch.

-x-

Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table, Mystery curled in his lap, and helped himself to some chicken and roast potatoes. After some bites he felt the cat stir in his lap and soon the small animal stood on Harry´s tighs. It eyed the plate curiously and purred. Its pencil-thin tail pointed straight upwards and everytime Harry bent a bit forward to mouth a forkful, it tickled his chin.

After a while of silent watching the cat miaowed accusingly.

Harry tried to ignore it for he was sure feeding the kitten from his plate would be considered spoiling it by Snape.

"Oh look! How cute! Harry, when did you get her?" asked Ginny from the opposite side of the table.

"I got _him_ only this morning," Harry informed her and tried to keep Mystery from climbing onto his plate.

"He must be hungry," said Ginny. She rose and offered the cat a bit of bacon from her plate.

"Don´t spoil him!" groaned Harry. Snape was going to kill him.

"Tza, spoil him," Ginny mused and fed the cat a bit of pork. "He´s a pet. He has a right to be spoiled. Give him here!"

Harry recognized an order and handed the cat to Ginny who shared her lunch with the little cat calling the beast funny little names all the time. Unlike his usual behaviour Mystery had nothing against being called "Kitty" and allowed Ginny to tickle his ears.

The little gray cat spent the rest of the weekend in various girls´ laps, where he was fed treats, had his fur stroked and brushed and was allowed to play with threads of wool or even strands of long hair.

Harry´s feeble attempts to get him back were either ignored or considered selfish, for he ´could have the cute thing all night´. When Harry started worrying what to do with Mystery when he had to attend lessons, he got unexpected help. It took Ginny no more than half an hour to come up with a schedule who whould be responsible for the kitten during Harry´s lessons. She found girls with free periods, who were more than willing to foster the cat, for all but three lessons. For those Harry asked Dobby for help.

"It will be Dobby´s pleasure, Harry Potter, Sir!" the elf beamed.

-x-

Mystery spent more than a week at Gryffindor tower without any problems. Harry hadn´t much to do but feed him his cat food and provide him a little space at the foot of his bed for the night .

On Wednesday of the second week Dobby made a disquieting observation.

"Dobby is not sure, Sir, but it seems the cat gets a bit heavy. He, who must not be mentioned in presence of Harry Potter´s friends, will not be pleased." Harry couldn´t but agree.

"You know, Harry," laughed Ron, "the whole He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Mentioned stuff sounds as if you were cat sitting for old snaky face himself."

Harry joined in his friends´ laughter nervously. He wasn´t sure if Snape´s reaction to overfeeding his pet would differ much from Voldemort´s.

-x-

He had no idea how close he was to finding out when he went to the dungeons for double potions this very afternoon.

Instead of Professor Vector, who had taken over Snape´s lesson the previous Wednesday, it was Severus Snape himself, who let the students into the classroom. He was in a bad mood as ever and set them an assignment for the lesson, which was not challenging but nothing short from unmanagable. When Harry, like the rest of the class, failed in completing it, he was informed with a sneer that this meant detention.

"I have some others to supervise before," snarled Snape. "Come to my office at ten. I´ll talk to your head of house about curfew. And thank you for costing me my sleep, Potter."

"Sorry, Sir," Harry murmured. He hoped that Snape was not going to have supper at the Great Hall. Witnessing Mystery getting tokens from his fans surely would give the man a heart attack.

Luckily Snape was not to be seen at supper. The small cat was handed down Gryffindor table from girl to girl. It obviously enjoyed the extra food and stroking. When Mystery finally returned to Harry, he wore a very happy expression and a pink bow. To Harry´s shock the bow couldn´t be removed.

"Who did that?" Harry cried.

"I did," said Lavender Brown. "Isn´t he cute? You don´t mind me using a fastening charm, do you?" The girls congratulated Lavender on brilliantly increasing the cuteness of the kitten. Harry fought down an urge to strangle the girl.

After supper Harry hurried back to the common room to do his homework before going to Snape´s office. Mystery meanwhile granted his female fans some of his time. Harry shook his head in disbelief when he witnessed Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil have a row who was next to hold the cat and for how long.

The thought that it would not be easy to get hold of Mystery to take him back to his owner crossed Harry´s mind only minutes before he had to go to the dungeons. He packed away his books and tried to get the kitten from Parvati, who had won the fight with Lavender.

"You can´t have him. You have to got to your detention and you aren´t seriously thinking of taking this sweet thing to Snape? He´d kill both of you," Parvati hissed.

Harry didn´t know what to say. He couldn´t possibly tell the girl that Snape was in fact waiting for the sweet thing. Unexpected help came from Hermione, who snatched Mystery from Parvati unceremoniously.

"It´s my turn now," she said. "I haven´t held him for one minute this evening. Come, Harry, we´ll see you out."

Without giving Parvati time to protest Hermione led the way out of the portrait hole. Once the fat lady had closed the entrance on them, the girl looked around.

"You´re going home, sweety," she informed the cat and handed it over to Harry who hid it in a fold of his robes.

"Hermione, how did you know?"

"Come on Harry, who´d put cat food in a mortar and which ´Slytherin boy´ has been missing the last week? Better go quickly, he won´t like you make him wait."

Harry nodded and headed to the dungeons at top speed.

-x-

At exactly ten o´clock he knocked on Snape´s door. The potions master must have waited for him as he was allowed in immediately.

"Professor," Harry greeted the man with a nod, which was returned silently.

"Well?" Snape asked.

Harry made sure that the door was closed, then he produced the cat and handed it to its owner. Snape paled at Mystery´s sight.

"What have you done to this animal?" he asked with hardly supressed fury.

Harry blushed. "Nothing, professor. I cared for him the best I could!"

"I sent you a perfectly healthy beast and you bring me an overfed creature! Probably he caught the gaut and is close to a heart attack. And . . . he´s wearing PINK!"

"I´m sorry, Sir. The bow was attached today at supper," Harry explained. "I thought it better you´d remove it. I didn´t want to experiment with your cat."

"This doesn´t explain why he´s so fat!" Snape spat and tickled Mystery´s ears absentmindedly. The cat purred.

"The girls kind of adopted him and gave him treats off their plates."

"And it didn´t occur to you to not give him his tinned food when he already had treats."

"I didn´t want to fail your instructions and I couldn´t be sure he got his vitamines with the treats," Harry said in a small voice.

Snape glared at Harry for a while. "Come," he said then in a somewhat softer voice. He sat Mystery on the floor and removed the bow with a casual flick of his wand. Harry followed the professor through a door which led to a small private lab. "As your housemates think you´re here for detention, I can´t send you back this early. So you may as well learn something," Snape explained. "We´ll brew a slimming potion for Mystery."

They spent the next hour working peacefully together. Snape explained in detail which ingredients were needed and why. Harry did most of the chopping, while Snape did the brewing though not without explaining every step. Harry thought he´d actually like Potions if this were Snape´s usual classroom behaviour.

"Finished," the professor said at last. "now it has to cool a bit. Would you like a cup of tea in the meantime?"

Harry nodded and soon they sat at Snape´s desk. Harry asked where Snape had been, but the man wouldn´t tell. Instead he explained how the slimming potion had to be changed when intended for humans.

Harry could hardly believe he was having a civil conversation over a cup of tea with Severus Snape of all people.

"Well," said Snape at last and felt the beaker with the potion with his wrist. "This will do. Mystery! Mystery, come here my boy! – Potter!"

"You have to understand, Sir. The girls . . . Sweety!"

Snape´s eyes went wide when his cat hurried to Harry with a cheerful miaow.

"Potter!"

Harry got the hint. Hastily he got up and fled from the office with a murmured "Thanks for the tea." before Snape´s rage could develop properly. He ran all the way up to Gryffindor tower, where he found the whole house still up and in search of his little cat, which seemingly had somehow escaped Hermione´s care.

END OF THE STORY.


	4. Catnap

Catnap

"Ron, you´re not being helpful!" Harry shot his friend a glare, which would have made half of the first yeears faint and – had he seen it – made Dumbledore file Harry´s name as a substitute teacher for the case Snape ever went on sick leave. On Ron, whatsoever, it had no effect. The redhead continued babbling about yesterday´s Quidditch training.

Harry sighed and tried to concentrate on his task of writing his Charms homework, which needed to be finished in half an hour, with his right hand while shoveling breakfast into his mouth with his left. A part of his brain registered Hermione coming to his aid pointing out to Ron that Harry had been there and had seen all the spectacular moves he was describing in loving detail.

Harry continued writing feverishly, pausing not even when the post owls arrived. He didn´t expect mail. To his great surprise a letter was dropped into his lap. Harry looked up, but couldn´t tell with the crowd of fluttering birds, which of them had caried his letter. Having a letter delivered by an owl dropping it was uncommon. Attaching it to the bird´s leg was much safer and therefore prefered most of the time.

Turning his attention back to his homework, Harry gave the matter no more thought. He had no time to linger, not even to read the letter now. Absentmindedly he stuffed it into his pocket and continued his work on slow motion charms.

-x-

The ink on his essay had barely dried when professor Flitwick collected the parchment with a flick of his wand.

Now they had studied the theory of the matter, the professor announced, they were ready to practice slow motion charms. He released a swarm of fat flies and ordered the class to slow them down.

"Slow down, not freeze," the tiny wizard piped. "You will find that it is more difficult to take away only part of the momentum. You have an hour to practice."

Harry needed only two attempts to make the charm work perfectly. He smiled. Mastering a charm without much effort was a nice change. Spellcasting hadn´t always come to him easily, but his skills had improved considerably over the past year.

As he knew that Flitwick didn´t mind his older students doing some other work when they had finished the lesson´s assignment, Harry took his letter out of his pocket.

It was a piece of high quality parchment. Its bright white colour alone gave away its value. The letter was sealed with white wax, on the front Harry´s name was written in black ink. The handwriting was unknown to Harry, though the elegant loops indicated the writer was used to the quill.

Curious, Harry broke the seal and unfolded the parchment. His heart missed a beat when he read the first lines. He put the letter into his bag as if in a trance and reassumed practicing slow motion charms.

-x-

The lesson passed in annoying slowlyness. As did transfiguration and lunch. Devination, which was boring every time, crawled along in absurd tediousness. Professor Trelawney interspersed the lesson with predictions of Harry´s early death, uttering warnings every five minutes.

"Beware of an angelic face," she said in a hushed voice, glaring at Harry with large eyes.

Ron stiffled a fit of laughter and Harry feared the redhead was going to suffocate.

A little later, Harry was informed that "help waited in hidden corners" and, when he was finally on his way to the trapdoor, that "barking dogs won´t bite."

"What a lesson," sighed Ron. "She was even worse than usual."

Harry nodded absentmindedly.

"You don´t let her get to you, do you?" Ron asked, concerned.

"Who?" asked Hermione, who joined them at that very moment. "Trelawney again? I told you, you´d better choose Runes."

Ron snorted. "Runes? No, thank you. Not for me. Harry´s going to be killed by an angel!"

Hermione laughed.

"Having fun, Granger?"

Draco smirked at them as they arrived in front of the potions class room.

"Enjoy yourself as long as you can. Soon enough the fun will end for all mudbloods and those who fraternize with them." He shot vicious glances at Hermione, Ron and Harry in turn.

"You evil, little . . ." Harry was in no mood to take Malfoy´s babbling. Without thinking he drew his wand.

"Now, now. No fighting in the corridors. Ten points from Gryffindor and you´ll stay behind after the lesson to arrange your detention, Potter."

Harry blinked.

This had been easier than anticipated.

-x-

Harry waited by Snape's desk as the class filed out of the dungeon.

The potions master spoke as soon as the door had closed on the last student.

"I have things of more importance to attend. You´ll help Mr. Filch clean . . ."

"With all due respect, Sir," Harry interrupted him. "I think you´d better take a look at this." He thrust his letter in Snape´s hand.

"What´s his supposed to be, Potter? I´ve no intention of reading your fan mail." Snape dropped the parchment without a second glance.

"Read it, imbecile." Harry had no time for this game.

Snape gasped for breath. "Two hundred . . ." he started to scream, but something in Harry´s face stopped him. He sat back down and reluctantly took the parchment.

Harry hadn´t thought it possible, but Snape paled after reading the first sentence. He turned the parchment as if looking for a signature.

"I have your cat." The teacher whispered, repeating the first sentence of the letter.

"I thought," said Harry, "you might recognize the handwriting."

"What?" Snape started.

"The handwriting," Harry repeated urgently. "You know all the students´ handwriting." He pointed at the stack of essays on Snape´s desk. "It has to be from a student. Whoever wrote this, they think that Mystery´s mine. They must have seen me take him to the Great Hall when you were . . . on business."

Snape nodded.

"It could be Malfoy´s," he said after a short contemplation.

"That fits," mused Harry. "Malfoy hates me and he got in trouble because of me and Mystery the other evening."

"The little . . ." Snape hissed and got up.

"Professor!" Harry cried, "read the rest!"

Snape did as he was told.

"What!" he was back up in an instant.

Harry sighed. "Give it here." He grabbed the letter from Snape and started to read it out.

"I have your cat If you want to see your little pet alive, you´ll follow my instructions to the letter. Meet me at six this evening by the beech tree down by the lake. Don´t bring your wand or friends."

He looked at his teacher, who burried his face in his hands.

"We have less than an hour to come up with something."

"What can we come up with? You can´t meet Malfoy – if it is him – wandless. It´s only a cat after all." The despair in the potions master´s voice belied his words.

"I can, if I have backup."

"You aren´t to bring your friends."

Harry blushed. "I wasn´t thinking of a friend exactly."

Snape blinked. "My presence will not liekely be appreciated either."

"He can´t see you."

"Can´t see me? Are you thinking of a disillusionment charm? I´m not good at those, sorry."

"Actually," Harry grinned, "I was thinking of lending you this."

He opened his bag.

-x-

Half an hour later Harry was walking down to the lake. He felt naked without his wand, but taking it with him was too risky, so he´d left it on Snape´s desk.

He watched out for Malfoy when he approached the beech tree. The dawning evening hid whoever waited for him there. Harry prepared to wait. As the evening was quite chilly, he hoped that Malfoy´d hurry to get over with the whole thing.

"Hello, Potter."

Harry started.

Draco Malfoy stood beside the tree, keeping it between himself and the castle to shield him form curious eyes.

"Malfoy?"

A quickly mumured ´Lumos´ lit Malfoy´s wand. He stepped a bit nearer.

Harry´s heart dropped when he recognized Mystery´s limp form in Malfoy´s hand.

"I´ve come. Now give me my cat."

"I don´t think so," snarled the other boy. "I think I´ll keep it to remind me that it was I, who gave famous Harry Potter to the Dark Lord."

"What are you talking about?" Harry backed away a step.

"He is talking about," said Lucius Malfoy as he stepped into the small circle of light emanating from his son´s wand, "the little journey we´re about to make, Potter."

For a moment Harry thought he´d faint. This was no schoolboy prank. This was a deatheater attack. Slowly he managed to refocus on the two blonds in front of him.

"I´m not going anywhere."

"Oh, you are, Potter," Lucius laughed. "The Dark Lord will praise the name of Malfoy above any other. Funny, isn´t it, that The-Boy-Who-Lived, the wizarding world´s saviour, will trip over a kitten."

"You won´t be enough to force me to go anywhere. Now give me my cat!"

"Not enough?" It was Draco´s turn to laugh. "Why, father! You should have brought an army. After all, it´s Harry Potter, even if he´s wandless."

Lucius joined his son´s laughter until he bellowed: "Enough now! Come here, Potter!"

Harry leaped at Draco the same moment as Lucius Malfoy was hit by a stunner from behind Harry.

Draco lost his wand at the impact and the two boys went down in a ball of hitting fists and kicking feet. After a short while Harry saw the red light of another stunning spell and Draco went flabby. Strong hands helped him disentangle from the other boy and get up.

"Sorry," said Snape, "I didn´t get a clear shot for a while. Are you hurt?"

"Nothing severe," answered Harry, "some bruises."

"We´ll take care of those in my office. We need to be gone when they come around."

Harry nodded and was just about to start walking back to the castle, when Snape held him back.

"We must not be seen. Will we fit both under your cloak?"

"I guess so."

"You take Mystery," Snape ordered and slid the cloak over them.

-x-

"Potter!" Snape stopped after a couple of meters. "That´s the second time you stepped on my foot!"

"Sorry, Sir."

"Be more careful, Potter!"

"I´ll try, Sir!"

"Ouch!" – They´d walked only some steps, when Snape stopped again.

"I´m sorry!"

"We need to advance more systematically. Put your arm around my waist."

Harry obliged hesitantly. He started when Snape put his arm around his shoulder.

"Left foot first, Mr. Potter."

They advanced slowly, but without further problems.

-x-

"Give him here," the potions master said urgently as soon as they had reached his office.

Harry handed the unconscious cat over to his teacher.

"What did he do to him?" Harry asked curiously. "Can´t you just enervate him?"

"No," murmured Snape and continued examining the cat. "If he´s been given a potion, he may need an antidote."

"But I used an ´enervate´ on him when you fed him sleeping draught."

"Sleeping draught is a rather harmless potion," explained Snape. He interrupted his investigations for a moment. "If Draco is a deatheater, he may have access to very dark material. He hates you, Potter. You´ll have to be very careful around him."

"Yes, Sir. But he can´t have planned this. He didn´t know beforehand that Mystery´d escape. You should think of something to keep him in your rooms, by the way."

Snape´s eyes narrowed for a moment, but then he relaxed. "You´re right." He picked the cat up and sniffed at its nose. "Sleeping draught," he confirmed and pointed his wand at the little beast.

Mystery stretched luxuriously and purred at the sight of his owner.

Snape observed his every movement,then started to scratch the cat´s ears. The kitten moved in on the touch and rubbed its head against the wizard´s hand.

"He´s unhurt," stated Snape with unhidden relief. "What about you?"

He reluctantly let go of the cat and set his gaze on Harry.

"Only some minor bruises," said the boy.

"You don´t expect me to buy this, do you? Not after we walked so closely under that cloak of yours. You were limping."

"He may have hit my ankle. It hurts a bit." Harry confessed.

"Let me see it." Snape´s voice made it clear he´d stand for no contradiction.

Harry sat on the edge of the desk and pulled up the leg of his jeans. He started at the sight of his swollen ankle even before he had removed his sock. It hadn´t hurt that badly to prepare him for the sight of his ankle being double its normal size.

Snape hadn´t expected the injury to be that bad either for he backed away before moving closer to help Harry remove his sock.

"That´s bad," he murmured. "Sit on the chair. I´ll get you a salve." He helped Harry to his chair and disappeared to his private lab from where he returned shortly later with a jar.

"In an hour you´ll be as good as new," he promised.

-x-

"We´d better inform the headmaster," said Harry.

They´d moved to the fireplace after Snape had applied the salve to Harry´s ankle, because the warmth would speed up the healing process.

The potions master stopped his teacup halfway up to his mouth. "And confess that we´ve been keeping secrets from him for months?"

"You´re right. We can´t." Harry wondered when exactly he and his most feared teacher had become a ´we´.

"You´ll have to warn Weasley. Draco will assume it was him under your cloak."

"Do you think that Draco´ll believe that Ron can knock out his father?"

"You´re right. Lucius is very powerful. Weasley may not be capable of stunning him. How good is he at stunning?"

"He´s not useless, but Hermione´s better."

"So Draco may assume it was her. Anyway, you´ll have to warn them both. Draco mustn´t learn who was actually there." Snape took a sip of his tea.

"We can´t blow your cover," Harry agreed. "Volde. . . You-Know-Who mustn´t learn you saved me from being turned over to him. Thank you, by the way."

They ate for a while in silence. Snape had had sandwiches delivered to his office as Harry´d miss supper in the Great Hall due to his ankle.

"I think it´s OK now," Harry broke the silence after a while.

Snape started and averted his eyes from the cat curled in his lap. "Try, whether you can put weight on it."

Harry got up and walked some steps.

"It doesn´t hurt."

"Perfect." Snape smiled. "You´d better go up to Gryffidnor tower then."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you." Harry walked to the door.

Snape took the cat in the craddle of his arm and followed Harry. "It is I who has to thank you. You seem to be Mystery´s guardian angel."

Harry didn´t know what to say and there was a short silence.

"Professor," he said just before opening the door, "for the records, what did you make me do today?"

Snape looked puzzled.

"Detention," Harry grinned.

"Yes, I see. Hmmmm. First I made you skin shrivelfigs, but you sneaked off to meet Malfoy. When I caught you on your way back I was furious and used you as a guinea pig for some of my concoctions. You were very scared and I enjoyed that fact very much."

Harry snickered. "Malfoy´ll like that. When he didn´t catch me, he at least caused me trouble with you."

Snape smirked. "I thought so."

"Well, thanks for making me sample your concoctions," Harry pointed at the teapot. "Keep an eye on your little fugitive."

Snape inclined his head just an inch.

Harry set out for Gryffindor tower, slowly first, but soon he was running. He needed to talk to Ron and Hermione.

END OF THE STORY.


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